


The Boggart

by StreetSoldierin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Child Abuse, Chocolate Fixes Everything, Draco Malfoy Needs a Hug, Facing Fears, Good Narcissa Black Malfoy, Hurt/Comfort, Lucius Malfoy Being an Asshole, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Remus Lupin Likes Chocolate, Remus Lupin signs up to being a dad, fighting boggarts, the ending is rushed sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 17:08:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20763923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StreetSoldierin/pseuds/StreetSoldierin
Summary: Draco gets detention and is supposed to face a boggart, and Lupin is surprised by what it turns into.





	The Boggart

**Author's Note:**

> Another fic out of the dusty fic attic I have (not literally).  
I never got around to working on it more and I probably never will, but I still wanted to put it out there.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Good evening,“ Remus greeted as the blond boy entered his office. Draco Malfoy seemed to be in an even worse mood than he had been this morning in class. He had the usual sneer on his face and stared at Remus angrily. “Well, here I am. What do I have to do?” 

“Okay, no small talk then.” Remus stood up from his desk and took up his wand. Then he pointed to the cupboard. “You are to do what you failed to do in class today, Mr. Malfoy. Do you remember the spell?” 

The boy looked as if Remus had slapped him across the face. “A boggart? I thought this was detention.” Remus nodded. “It is indeed. Professor Dumbledore decided that all of the students have to face a boggart in class at least once because it will be part of your final exams and is therefore important.” 

In fact, Remus didn’t know if those really were Dumbledore’s intentions, but it was not in his place to question the headmaster. Even though he thought it to be an awful idea to be honest. Harry Potter had been the perfect example of what could go wrong.   
This generation of students were descendants of the people who had fought in the war, and some of them had made losses like Harry or Neville Longbottom. Letting them face a boggart wasn’t exactly Remus’ idea of fairness, but of course they somehow had to be prepared for the life after school. Prepared for what might be on its way to darken their days again. 

Draco Malfoy, however, hadn’t faced any losses. The Malfoys had fought on the other side, but Lucius had insisted that they had been under the imperio curse and therefore none of them had been punished. Draco had been born shortly before the end of the war and didn’t suffer any aftermath. Lucius Malfoy had made damn sure that the family name was as prestigious as it had been before. 

“Well then,” Remus said and nodded towards the cupboard. “Dou you remember the spell?”   
“Of course I remember the spell,” Draco spat. “But this is ridiculous. I won’t do it.”   
Remus sighed exasperated. “As you wish, Mr. Malfoy. I’ll just write to your father then and inform him that you refuse to take part in my class. I’ll leave it up to you to explain him why you can’t face a simple boggart.” 

Draco looked as if Remus had just slapped him across the face. Apparently he was at a loss for words because nothing came out of his mouth, no smart remark, no sharp comment. 

“What’s the matter?” Remus asked. “Do it or don’t, it’s totally up to you. But you will have to bear the consequences if you don’t.” Malfoy grimaced and stepped in front of the cupboard. “Can I at least do it alone?” 

Remus was a bit taken aback by that question. “Of course not. As your teacher I have to supervise this.” Draco sighed. “Great. Let’s get it over with then.” Remus couldn’t help but notice that the boy’s hands were shaking. What could Draco Malfoy possibly be so afraid of?   
“If you think it’s going to be a dementor like it was with Mr. Potter, you’d be well advised to tell me that now. Having a dementor as a boggart can be quiet overwhelming as you saw in class.” Draco snorted. “What, you think I’m going to faint like oh so brave Potter did?” Remus chose to ignore that comment. “Is it going to be a dementor?”   
“No,” Draco answered, his eyes straight towards the cupboard. 

“Good. Ready then?” The boy only nodded, so Remus flicked his wand and the cupboard’s doors sprung open. At first, Remus thought Draco had lied and his boggart would be in fact a dementor, because the first things coming into view were black fluttering robes. Then he thought it could be Snape like it had been with Neville and he already started to wonder how the hell Severus Snape could be so fearsome, but then blond long hair appeared out of the darkness. Remus sucked in a breath.   
Right in front of him, climbing out of the cupboard, was the boggart looking exactly like Lucius Malfoy. 

Cold, blue eyes found their way to Draco, and the figure started striding towards the boy who just stood there, frozen in shock. “Didn’t I tell you to stay upstairs?” the unnatural voice called. Draco lifted his wand, but the figure immediately screamed, “How dare you point a wand at me?” and Draco flinched back.   
The boggart had successfully made him forget that this wasn’t real. 

“The spell, Mr. Malfoy,” Remus said loudly. “Use it.” 

But Draco didn’t seem to hear him. Boggarts fed from fear, and apparently Draco was so frightened that it grew stronger and stronger.   
The boggart came closer and to Remus’ horror, the figure lifted its cane. 

Draco let go of his wand. He shrunk back, lifting his arms above his head and curling into himself, trying to protect himself from the blow that was about to come. 

Remus couldn’t just stand there watching. Just before the boggart could actually hurt the boy, Remus dove in front of him and the arm with the cane froze in mid-air. Then Lucius Malfoy transformed into a full moon. Remus did just the same as he had done in class this morning, shouting “Ridikkulus” and transforming the full moon into a white balloon, that zoomed around the room first and then straight back into the cupboard. Remus shut the doors with another flick of his wand. 

Then he turned to the blond boy who was cowering against the wall, head still wrapped into his arms.   
He kneeled next to him, at a loss of words at first. 

They just sat there until Draco managed to uncurl himself and spoke up. “Don’t tell anyone.” It sounded like a harsh command, but the blue eyes stared at Remus so pleadingly it made his heart ache.   
“I won’t,” he promised and reached out to help the boy get up. Draco flinched away from his touch. 

“It’s okay,” Remus said soothingly. “Come on.” He wrapped his arm around the boy’s shoulder and hoisted him up, then he led him to his desk and sat him down on a chair. Draco was staring straight at the ground, his hands clenched to his cloak. 

Remus opened a drawer beneath his desk and pulled out a bar of chocolate which he offered to Draco. 

At first, the blond boy only raised an eyebrow as to say “Are you serious?” but when Remus insisted he slowly took the chocolate and started to eat.   
“So,” Remus said and leaned against his desk, watching Draco eat. “Do you wanna talk about it?” 

Draco glared at him. “No.” Remus had expected as much. “You know, as your teacher it would be my duty to report this to Dumbledore.” But Draco only snorted. “As if the old man wouldn’t already know.” 

Remus cocked his head. He couldn’t believe that. If Albus Dumbledore knew that this boy was being abused, he surely would’ve done something about it? On the other hand… hadn’t he left Harry Potter in an abusive home too? A cold shiver ran down Remus’ spine. 

“He visited the Manor once,” Draco continued coldly. “He… saw some things. And he didn’t do squat about it, so what do you expect from me? You can go and tell him, but it will lead to nothing. The old man doesn’t care half as much as he pretends to. If I was famous Potter I would’ve asked by now why he would leave me in such a pathetic excuse of a Muggle family, but of course Saint Potter would never question almighty Dumbledore. Well, it’s none of my business anyways. May I go now?” 

He stood up, but Remus shook his head. The boy had spoken exactly the words that Remus had had on his mind but was too scared to admit. “No, stay. You can’t expect me to just forget what I just saw.”   
“But that is exactly what I am asking,” Draco growled. “I didn’t want to do this, but you said I had to. So I did. You said I had to live with the consequences if I didn’t do it. But I did, and now you have to deal with the outcome. I don’t want to talk about it, I won’t whine about it and if you are looking for a charity case then go and find Saint Potter or one of the redhead Weasels.” 

“You can’t tell me it doesn’t bother you.” 

Draco’s hands were still shaking and even the anger couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes. “Of course it does,” Draco spat. “But it’s not like anyone cared, and I don’t need you to pretend as if you would. I’m fine dealing with it on my own, I always did. What could you actually do, anyways? You have no idea what my father is capable of.” 

“Well, you have no idea what I am capable of either.” Remus reached out carefully and laid a hand on Draco’s shoulder. “You need help, and I don’t care if you are too scared or too proud to admit that. You can try to shut me out, but don’t think for a second that you can stop me.” 

Draco made no attempt to pull away. He stared at Remus, trying to look angry, but there were tears welling up in his eyes. “No, just… just don’t. It’s only going to get worse.”   
“Oh boy,” Remus said softly. “There were times when I had lost my faith in the world, too. I promise you, I won’t let you get hurt.” 

Draco didn’t seem to know what to respond, he just stood there looking so lost and suddenly Remus couldn’t help but wonder if the boy had ever been hugged in his life. And he was so bothered by the thought that he just had to wrap Draco in his arms. 

At first, the boy froze in shock, but after a while he relaxed and let it happen. “It’s okay,” Remus said. “I’ll get you out of there.” 

“You can’t,” Draco insisted, but his voice sounded softer, somewhat exhausted. Remus let go of him, but still let his hand rest on Draco’s shoulder. “I can. And I will.”

***

The next day, Remus consulted Minerva McGonegall, who was just as shocked as he had been himself. They decided to send a letter to the Ministry. 

One week later the Malfoys were being questioned. Lucius Malfoy was outraged. Narcissa Malfoy stayed calm. She confessed to her husband’s actions. 

It took another week for Narcissa’s letter to arrive. She thanked Remus, thanked him for caring and for watching out for her son. For doing the thing she hadn’t been able to. 

Half a week after that, Narcissa met him in the school. She didn’t look well. “I need a favor,” she said. 

That evening was the first time Remus saw Draco Malfoy cry. Narcissa had decided to leave. The families were angry at her and she feared they’d hurt her son. In order to protect him, she left him behind. With Remus. 

Two weeks later Draco Malfoy moved in with the Lupins. He looked so lost at first, but Nymphadora made it her duty to make him feel at home. Actually, it had been her idea to take Draco in after Narcissa told Remus that she was leaving. Nymphadora’s heart had ached for the boy ever since Remus explained to her what had been going on with Draco. 

After the holidays, Harry Potter couldn’t believe what he was seeing. A blonde boy in Slytherin robes got off the train and while Harry already prepared for a snarky comment, anything, Draco did something way more confusing. He smiled. A genuine, friendly smile. “Will we see more from that ballet dancing this year, Potter?” he asked walking by, but it didn’t seem mean it all, more like teasing. “You know, Malfoy,” Harry answered a bit puzzled. “I was actually thinking salsa this year.” 

Draco laughed – an actual, joyful laugh! – and pulled something out of his pocket. “Good one.” He held the thing in his hand out to Harry. “Chocolate?”

**Author's Note:**

> Leaving kudos and/or comments will literally make my day!  
Thank you xx


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